The present invention relates to a new and improved implement for shellfish meat extraction. More specifically, this new implement is a uniquely designed tool for easily cutting and dislodging edible portions of meat from small recesses in shellfish, such as crab and lobster.
Except for the tail and claw portions of the lobster, much of the edible meat product of these shellfish is present within small recesses and niches in the shell and appendages. This is particularly true with respect to shellfish such as crabs. The meat in these confined recesses is normally inaccessible by use of conventional knives, forks or other implements without extensive cracking and breaking of the shell. This extensive breakage of the shell is a tedious, inefficient and cumbersome procedure. The meat extracted in this manner is also necessarily broken down into small bits and morsels, and frequently contains small pieces of shell. Furthermore, this process does not lend itself to desirable etiquette and is particularly embarassing when dining in public restaurants. Often, a significant amout of edible meat product is ignored by the consumer due to the lack of a neat, convenient and efficient method for extracting meat from these smaller confined areas of the shell.
Accordingly, a device which offers a convenient means for cutting and removing shellfish meat from small recesses with a minimum of cracking and breaking of the shell or tearing and crushing of the meat is highly desirable.
Prior art related to overcoming the difficulty of dislodging and extracting meat from the shell of a lobster is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,707,325 to Cripps. The Cripps patent discloses a lobster pick comprising a handle and a flexible blade with an obliquely angled tip for scooping and pulling the meat from the shell. The Cripps lobster pick, utilizing a blunt raking hook formed at its tip, is not practical for dislodging meat from small recesses or nitches in the shell. Moreover, because of the raking and scraping technique which must be employed by the user for effective results, significant forces must be exerted in extracting the meat, thereby subjecting it to unnecessary tearing and mutilation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,047,397 to Laliberte discloses a crochet needle which resembles, in some respects, the meat extraction tool of the present invention. However, the lack of appropriately formed cutting blades at the extremities of the needle clearly distinguish this patent from the present invention. The Laliberte invention is not at all suitable to the extraction of meat from shellfish due to the blunt, rounded tips which are incorporated at the extremities of the needle.